Tales of Twelve Kingdoms
by Yukina-Raven
Summary: In which the world is a tangled web of relationships. This is a collection of drabbles focusing on the various Twelve Kingdoms characters & their relationships with each other.
1. colored lights :: enki & youko

**[disclaimer]** :: In these series of drabbles, things may or may not contradict with the canon. Timelines may or may not be rearranged, messed up or otherwise ignored. Terms, places, phrases and spellings may or may not be 100% correct. Tiny tidbits of information may or may not be included. In short, these stories are just fun little ideas that have popped into my head concerning the characters and their relationships with each other. 100% canon accuracy isn't what I'm aiming for since the 12K world is huge and somewhat confusing. But I did my best and hope that you enjoy it nevertheless.

* * *

Youko supposed she should've considered herself (and her kingdom) lucky. Kei was not a kingdom that experienced particularly harsh winters. In the long run this made things easier for her. Her people did not have to worry as much as the more northern kingdoms did and for that she was glad. That wasn't to say Kei did not experience cold and frequent snowfall during the wintertime. Yet it was more common to have a mild winter than anything like Hou or Tai experienced. The winter this year, Youko was discovering, was very mild. In the course of two months (roughly) the kingdom had only experienced one snowstorm. The snow had barely lasted a week after, melting off quickly before it got cold again. And although less snow was good for the people, Youko couldn't help but feel sad.

She felt selfish, but the queen almost wished it would snow a little more. As she stood on one of many balconies from the Kei Palace, Youko remembered watching the snow come down this time of year back in Hourai. Even now she could still picture it so clearly. By now, Youko thought, Japan must be covered with snow. Unexpectedly, the thoughts made her homesick. Sighing heavily, Youko leaned on her arms against the railing. She watched the lights of her kingdom below the sky-sea, the water distorting the glowing image. The kingdom was at peace and although a lot was still in the process to fix the mistakes of the past, it was progressing nicely.

Shouryuu had commented to her that he was impressed with all the progress the kingdom had made already. Yet Youko didn't feel like a whole lot was changing. Everything took so much time and moved at a snail's pace that she wondered how the En King had put up with it for nearly five hundred years. When she had voiced that very thing once, he had only laughed. Thinking on it, he never _had_ answered her question.

This world did not have a calendar like Hourai did. Nor did it have any real set system of keeping track of days and times. Everything was measured by the position of the sun and the moon. They would speak of months and days, but Youko was still not sure how many days were considered a month in this place. Either way, by now Youko was use to this system and more prone to use it. However eventually she had started calculating the time here to the equivalent of what it would be in Hourai. She had no idea if it was accurate or not and no way of ever checking. For all she knew it was summer over there while she stood in the cold here. Still, if her calculations were to be assumed correct than it was December in Japan right now. December meant Christmas.

She heaved another sigh and a voice laughed from beside her. "You're starting to sound like Keiki with all your sighing."

Youko jumped and turned quickly to face the short boy crouched on the balcony's edge. With perfect balance he stood on the slender railing, rag tied around his head to hide his long golden mane. But Youko had come to recognize his face well and she smiled warmly.

"You scared me," she told the En Taiho with a chuckle.

"I figured," Enki replied with a small shrug. "You didn't even notice when I first arrived." He made a face at her when she looked away again. "You're too serious sometimes."

Youko smiled and gazed out across the ocean. That was Enki for you. "I guess I am. Sorry, I was just thinking of the season is all."

"The season?" Enki inquired. "It seems like winter isn't all that bad here to me. En is getting lucky this time, too."

Youko laughed and straightened, leaving the balcony's edge. She walked slowly away, rounding the corner and down the narrow ledge that eventually led back into her room. She heard Enki hop off the railing behind her to follow.

"Not that season. The holiday season back in Hourai. It's Christmas there."

Enki tilted his head curiously. "Christmas?"

Unlike her home world, this world had no real holidays. There were festivals and get-togethers all the time for different occasions, but nothing celebrated universally. The closest Youko could think of was a moon viewing party that Shouryuu had hosted to welcome the coming spring. Several rulers and taihos had come to that event and she had met a few of them for the very first time. Though, sadly, many had also been missing.

"Yes. It was a special holiday that was celebrated in Hourai during the wintertime."

"I don't remember anything like that."

Youko pushed the doors open and returned to her room, Enki entering right behind her without a second thought. He bent his arms behind his head, strolling into the room as if it was his own. Youko knew Keiki would've scolded him but she personally didn't mind. He was always welcomed as far as she was concerned.

"I don't think it was around when you were living there," Youko chuckled, smiling at the kirin. "I was just… missing it, I suppose.

Enki frowned a little and turned to look at her. He recognized her forlorn expression instantly. Despite Kei's improving conditions, Enki had noticed Youko was wearing that expression more frequently nowadays. He wasn't sure why but it troubled him. Perhaps a part of him was worried Youko was thinking about Hourai a little too much.

"What's it like?"

"Huh?"

"This holiday," Enki rephrased. "What is it?"

"Well… its origins are rooted within a religion that's practiced in Hourai. It celebrates the birth of a very important figure to that religion. To celebrate, people decorate trees with brightly colored lights and give each other gifts."

Enki perked up slightly, strangely interested. "Colored lights?"

"Yes. Well sometimes white, but usually red or green…" Youko trailed off at the confusion on Enki's face. She realized that the only light he was familiar with was the light of a fire, which rarely came in any color other than orange. And although he had probably seen the type of lights in Hourai during his trips there, she doubted he had any idea what they actually were let alone how they worked.

The queen laughed. "Did you come all the way here to question me about my thoughts?"

Enki blinked and then scowled. "Shouryuu wanted me to deliver a message. Why he made _me_ do it is anyone's guess…"

The taiho pulled free a scroll that he had tucked into the back of his sash. He held it out to her and Youko took it gently as if it might fall apart. She gathered it might have been something too valuable to give to just a messenger bird.

"Thank you, I hope it wasn't too much trouble."

Enki shrugged. "Nah. But it makes me wish kirins could disobey their master's orders. Or at least the stupid ones."

Youko laughed, a wonderfully melodic sound. Yet somehow Enki could not shake the feeling that she still looked very sad.

* * *

"Rokuta… Do you mind telling me what exactly it is you're doing?"

Enki ignored Shouryuu's question, continuing to shred the brightly colored fabric laid out before him. He had made quite a mess already with fabric strewn all over the floor. Shouryuu watched from the entranceway, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest. The kirin had seemed awfully lost in thought the past few days ever since he had returned to En from Kei. And now, today, he seemed to have made up his mind about whatever it was he had been thinking about. He'd spent all morning running around the palace gathering all the colored cloth he could find—some in use and some not.

The king had been watching him all day and finally was unable to keep from questioning the boy. Unable to figure out what Enki was trying to accomplish, Shouryuu found he could only watch since it seemed the kirin was not inclined to tell him. Enki was shredding a red and gold robe now, tearing at it with his teeth. It was rather comical looking and reminded Shouryuu of a puppy tearing up a rug.

"You could just ask a servant to cut it for you," the king pointed out.

Enki had tried for half the day to obtain a knife from someone in the palace, but had been denied. Everyone he spoke to had feared he would cut himself, so he wasn't able to get one. Thus he was resorted to tearing it by hand. Enki finally paused to give the En King a small glare.

"Don't you have things to be doing?"

Shouryuu smiled. "Nope."

Enki scowled and went back to tearing cloth. He grew increasingly aggravated, however, as his master insisted on standing there watching him.

"I _know_ you have things you're suppose to be doing."

"So do you. But instead you're chewing up my good fabrics and making a mess on my bedroom floor. Can you blame me for being curious?"

"Go away, old man. You're bothering me."

Shouryuu straightened and held up his hands in defeat. "Don't go swallowing the cloth. We wouldn't want you to choke."

Enki glared daggers at the king's back as he strolled away and the taiho realized he had only left because a minister was scurrying after him. Enki returned back to his work and by mid afternoon, he had several small strips of fabric before him. All were of different colors and patterns, which he arranged neatly to the side. As for the mess, Enki casually pushed it all underneath Shouryuu's bed.

When that was done, the taiho took to wandering the courtyard. Ignoring the quizzical looks of the various palace staff, Enki started examining all the greenery that surrounded the place. He even traveled to the very outskirts, where land met sea. Unable to find what he was searching for, Enki had eventually left the palace all together on the back of his wolf like shirei. Shouryuu had watched it all from a distance, still unable to figure out what the boy was up to. He was beginning to wonder if he should perhaps contact Youko and ask if Enki had been acting this strangely when he delivered the message. But the King never got the chance. Several hours later, just as the sun was beginning to set, Enki returned with the strangest thing.

Enki carried a branch from a willow tree. It was long and almost as big as he was with drooping smaller branches and fine green leaves. Where he had found such a thing in the middle of the winter season was anyone's guess. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary with it. It was just a tree branch. Enki, however, treated it like it was very special and hurried into the palace the moment Rikaku landed. Shouryuu, who had recently escaped more of his ministers, followed the taiho back to his room.

"My ministers are hounding me about you," Shouryuu announced. "They seem to be under the impress that I know what you're up to."

"It's none of your business," Rokuta huffed. "Or theirs. It's just.. something I wanna do."

Shouryuu gave the boy a curious look. Enki sat cross-legged on the floor and promptly began to tie the fabric onto the hanging branches.

"Is this something for Youko by any chance?"

Enki halted abruptly and Shouryuu smiled. "Aha. How touching." The king scratched his chin. "I know the Queen of Kei is quite lovely, but I never took you for--"

"I'm not a pervert like you!" Enki snapped, turning to glare over his shoulder. "Don't get any funny ideas!"

En Ou took note of the light blush on Rokuta's face and recognized the look as embarrassment. He chuckled and shrugged, looking exasperated. Rokuta just glared, willing the king to leave with all his might. How Shouryuu had figured it out, he'd never know. It was annoying all the same and the kirin finally relented.

"She told me about this thing they celebrated in Hourai," Enki said quietly after a long pause. "She looked really sad… like she was missing home. It just made me worried, that's all."

"So you're tearing up my good fabric and tying it to a tree branch? I don't follow."

"She said they put colored lights on trees to celebrate," Enki sighed. "I don't know what that means, but…" He held up the branch, every smaller branch now with a strip of fabric tied to it. "Close enough, right?"

He looked hopefully at Shouryuu, surprised to find the king smiling warmly at him. His face got a little redder.

"I know Youko will appreciate the thought," he said. "I think it's wonderful."

* * *

Enki left the En Palace as soon as the sun was gone. He flew on Rikaku, carrying the branch protectively between him and the youma. Shouryuu had seemed strangely satisfied that he was doing this, which made him suspicious. But honestly, he didn't really understand what the big deal was.

_Isn't this the kind of stuff you do for friends?_

Indeed, it was the first time the thought had crossed the taiho's mind. He hadn't even considered Youko a friend but thinking about it, he supposed she was. She was certainly his King's friend, but by now he had considered her his friend as well. Enki didn't really have many people in his life he could refer to with that title. It was kind of nice.

He reached Kei's palace in no time thanks to Rikaku and got off at his usual spot on the balcony. He didn't have to travel too far to find Youko, back turned towards him and standing just outside the entrance to her room. She was holding a long scroll, peering at it with a frown and worried eyes. Resting the branch on one shoulder, Enki let out a high-pitched whistle to catch her attention. Youko turned, startled, and then blinked.

"Rokuta…? You're back again.. What's that?"

Enki scratched his head sheepishly, averting his gaze to the side. "Well… I didn't know what you meant by 'colored lights', really… and it's not like I could carry a whole tree, so…"

Youko stared and it took her a second to realize that Enki had attempted to recreate a Christmas tree from the brief explanation she had given him several days ago. Rolling up the scroll, Youko tried not to laugh. She didn't find it funny in a mean way, for the gesture struck her as extremely touching. It was laughter more from the sheer randomness and surprise. Seeing that branch, given life by several strips of colored fabric, just made her unexpectedly happy. Perhaps it was because it was the first thing she had seen in ages that reminded her strongly of Hourai. Or maybe it was because it lacked any nobility and riches that she was constantly surrounded by here in the palace. Honestly Youko wasn't sure. All she knew was that it did make her laugh and Enki accurately observed that this was a true laugh. She finally seemed happy.

He grinned. "It's good to laugh once in awhile, right? You shouldn't be so serious all the time. After all, you—Ack!"

Without warning Youko embraced the short boy, giving him a friendly squeeze. The surprise made him drop the branch and blush lightly, embarrassed by the sudden display of affection. Youko quickly released him after a few seconds, realizing it probably wasn't proper to hug a kirin—let alone a kirin from another kingdom. She was smiling warmly as Enki scratched his head again.

"I didn't think you'd like it _that_ much…"

"I do," Youko told him. She suspected the kirin had no idea just how meaningful the gesture had been to her. And although the queen never asked him why he had done this for her, she found that the reason didn't matter in the end.

Afterwards, the two talked briefly before Enki left. And for the rest of the season, Youko got many comments from her court about her newfound cheerful disposition.


	2. fate :: enki & shouryuu

**[disclaimer]** :: In these series of drabbles, things may or may not contradict with the canon. Timelines may or may not be rearranged, messed up or otherwise ignored. Terms, places, phrases and spellings may or may not be 100% correct. Tiny tidbits of information may or may not be included. In short, these stories are just fun little ideas that have popped into my head concerning the characters and their relationships with each other. 100% canon accuracy isn't what I'm aiming for since the 12K world is huge and somewhat confusing. But I did my best and hope that you enjoy it nevertheless.

* * *

Shouryuu had never see the effects of shitsudou before. He knew of it and heard all about it, but he had never laid eyes on just what it did to a kirin. Kourin had been the first and it was truly awful. Even in his imagination he hadn't been able to come up with something so dreadful as the truth. Yet as a king, he felt more sympathy for Kou Ou. Yes he had lost the Way and had done some rather horrible things not only against Youko, but against his own people. For that Shouryuu could never forgive him. Even so, he felt sorry for the pain Kou Ou felt watching his kirin die. He pitied the man more so for that than for the fact that he would die soon.

It was shortly after Keiki had been rescued and Youko had returned to Kei that these thoughts finally surfaced in his head. So much had happened after he had witnessed Kourin's death that Shouryuu hadn't had time to think about it. Now he stood outside on the balcony that over looked the sky-sea. Below he could see the shimmering lights of the city, a mere portion of his kingdom. Holding a cup of his favorite saké in one hand, Shouryuu's face showed a rare expression of seriousness. He was semi-protected from his staff for the day, standing just outside the doors that lead to his bedchamber. There wasn't much left to be done for the day anyway. It was late, the sun having long since set, and so all the daily duties of the king were completed until tomorrow morning.

Suddenly he heard the doors inside his room burst open. He knew exactly who it was without having to look. After all, there was only one person in the entire palace that would have the gusto to barge in without asking.

"I can't believe how difficult it is to talk to Keiki," Rokuta complained as he wandered in. "We're just writing letters to each other and if I forget to ask something he doesn't say anything. He only gives really short answers, too. It's so frustrating trying to figure out how Kei is doing when he's like that. I should probably just start writing letters to Youko directly or visiting myself."

Shouryuu chuckled but did not turn around to look at him. He heard the kirin approach behind him.

"Hey, are you listening?"

"I heard you," the king replied calmly. "It's hard not to. You're awfully loud. Kirins should have better manners."

Enki gave Shouryuu's back a flat look. "Like you're one to talk."

Shouryuu listened to Enki's footsteps pad lightly across the wooden planks of the balcony. The taiho paused beside him, stepping up onto the lower rail so he could peer down at the sky-sea below. He leaned on his arms on the top railing. A gentle breeze brushed past both king and kirin, causing their hair and clothing to sway.

"You're only ever up here when you're not acting like yourself," Enki observed, his voice uncharacteristically quiet.

"Really? I never noticed," Shouryuu replied absently and took a sip from his saké cup.

Enki turned to look at him, trying not to look too concerned but Shouryuu could tell he was. The king laughed and waved a hand at him.

"I'm fine. I'm just tired I suppose. I was thinking about Kou Ou."

Enki frowned at the name and looked away. "He left the kingdom shortly after Kourin's death. He'll be dead himself in a year... if he lasts even that long."

Shouryuu knew the fate of his fellow kirin was something Enki cared deeply about. His determination to find Taiki and his attachment to the kid was proof enough. Shouryuu wondered if it had been the first time he had seen the effects of shitsudou as well.

"But what really gets me," Enki continued, leaning as far over the railing as he dared, "is how Kourin was able to disobey a direct order for the sake of her King. Even until the very end she was only thinking about him."

Shouryuu glanced at him. He looked surprisingly serious as he spoke.

"And that bothers you?" Shouryuu asked with honest curiosity.

Enki's face grew more troubled. "Kirin are loyal to their masters forever. No matter what they do… or how they treat them. Kou Ou was such a hateful and bitter old man. I looked at him with anger, especially when he told us we couldn't understand anything as taika and when he ordered her to kill. But for Kourin, he was her _king_. She _chose_ him and gave her life to him. And in the end, she had to give her life _for_ him as well. It's just…"

He trailed off. He looked very confused all of a sudden. "I guess it's sad."

Shouryuu clicked his tongue. "That wasn't what you were going to say."

Enki shook his head. "Forget it…"

There was silence between them for a moment. The wind continued to blow persistently, but it was gentle. The air felt pleasant and welcoming. The touch was almost like a familiar friend. The smell of salt was carried on this breeze, making the scent stronger than it already was. Even the taiho and his king were not accustom to the smell being so strong. Like the wind, however, it was also welcoming. Unexpectedly it made Shouryuu think of the ocean in Hourai. He was reminded of his island, his home and his people. Lifting his free hand the King of En rubbed his temples. Apparently tonight was a night for thinking on unpleasant things. It must've been the full moon.

He felt Enki's eyes on him again and lowered his hand slowly. The boy was staring at him worriedly. It was rare to see Shouryuu act so… un-Shouryuu like. The king himself didn't really like this feeling that had settled over him. He didn't like to dwell on things that could not be changed. The past was the past and all he could do with it was learn. Though abruptly he wondered if he would really change anything if given the chance.

"Unfair."

Enki blinked. "Huh?"

Shouryuu turned to him with a small smile. "You were going to say that it was unfair, right? Kirins are so devoted and loyal to their masters no matter what. Even if their king is a terrible tyrant there is nothing they can do except await death."

Rokuta averted his gaze to the wooden planks below. He watched the fabric around his ankle move in the wind. He had no answer to that. Maybe it was unfair. As a kirin himself Enki wasn't sure it was right to think that. This was his duty and the reason he existed. Fairness had nothing to do with it.

"It is unfair."

Enki's gazed returned to Shouryuu's face, who was looking out across the sky-sea once more. "Life isn't fair by definition. If it were there wouldn't be much use for kings and kirins and the Way. The evil would pay and the good would triumph always if things were fair."

The king turned to look at him seriously for a moment and then gave a mischievous smile. "Would you give your life for me, too?"

To Shouryuu's amusement Enki blushed lightly. He looked embarrassed and caught off guard by such a question. He glared when the king laughed at his expression.

"That's all right," he chuckled. "I wouldn't want you to. That would be… unfair."

Unfairness was the death of his innocent people. It was unfair that he lived but they were dead. Unfairness was Kourin's death and her sacrifice for a king who did not care for her until his own life was threatened. All Youko had to go through only to be burdened with a great responsibility seemed like unfairness too. Life was unfair…

"I still would, though," Enki suddenly said and Shouryuu refocused on him.

The taiho was turned away. He kept his face carefully hidden from Shouryuu's gaze so the king had no way of knowing what he was thinking at the moment. His words were soft but full of confidence at the same time.

"I would die for you because that is the duty of the kirin. We're sworn to protect you. But more than that… because we're the other half, remember? I wasn't going to say unfair. What I wanted to say was that it's just a choice we all have to make. It's one thing to die for the king because that's your duty. It's another when you die for them because you care. So to us Kourin's choice probably doesn't make sense. But to her it made perfect sense. It only bothers me because she had to make it in the first place. But I don't blame her or Kou Ou for it. I guess… I might've done the same thing in her place… and for you if you ever lost the Way."

Shouryuu was taken aback slightly by the rarely heard sincerity in the kirin's voice. More so than that, however, he was struck by the words themselves. It wasn't unfairness after all, but choice. His people chose to save him even if they knew they might die. He chose to live because he accepted Enki's offer. Kourin chose to die for her king's safe. Youko chose the throne and took everything she had gone through as something to make her stronger instead of using it for pity. It wasn't fate but choice. Shouryuu stared absently into the remaining saké in his cup. Somehow Shouryuu knew he was already aware of this. Yet for some reason, just for tonight anyway, he had questioned it. With a soft chuckle, he drank the rest of the sake and wiped his mouth with his sleeve.

"I'm going to bed," He announced. He and Enki turned back towards each other at the same time. Rokuta hopped down from the railing and the king smiled. "Today was an odd day. Tomorrow will be better."

He turned to head back inside his room, but Enki stopped him by grabbing a hold of his sleeve. Shouryuu glanced over his shoulder and gave him a questioning look.

"Do you regret it?"

Shouryuu was silent, eyes trained carefully on the boy's head. He had hid his face again. After what felt like an eternity, he smiled.

"Not a single moment."

The next morning Shouryuu found Enki curled up on the foot of his bed like a cat. He was fast asleep and barely stirred when the king rose. Perhaps kirins would die for their other halves but Shouryuu wondered if any of them realized their kings would gladly do the same.


	3. laugh a little :: youko & keiki

**[disclaimer]** :: In these series of drabbles, things may or may not contradict with the canon. Timelines may or may not be rearranged, messed up or otherwise ignored. Terms, places, phrases and spellings may or may not be 100% correct. Tiny tidbits of information may or may not be included. In short, these stories are just fun little ideas that have popped into my head concerning the characters and their relationships with each other. 100% canon accuracy isn't what I'm aiming for since the 12K world is huge and somewhat confusing. But I did my best and hope that you enjoy it nevertheless.

* * *

When she had made the request Keiki was, naturally, fiercely against it. He had given her such a hard time that Youko had almost given up.

"But Your Majesty has no need to learn to wield a sword," He had told her. "Jouyuu is there to assist you."

"And for that I'm very grateful," Youko said for the hundredth time. "But I'd still like to learn the basics at the very least. There's nothing wrong with that, right?"

"But Your Majesty…"

The argument went in circles for several days in between the regular every day duties of the queen and kirin. It was very tiring but Youko was stubborn. Unfortunately so was Keiki to some degree and eventually even the servants got tired of hearing the argument.

"Just let her do it already," Suzu sighed irritably when she was serving them both tea.

Youko had laughed but Keiki had just given her an incredulous look, surprised she would address a Taiho that way. Eventually Youko was successful, accomplishing this by practically ordering Keiki to allow her to learn. With much sighing and head shaking, the kirin had said no more and the queen took this as a sign of victory.

The next challenge was finding a teacher. This turned out to be a lot harder than Youko thought it would be. No one in her own palace wanted to do so, possibly because they feared being constantly sighed at by the Taiho. Or maybe they simply felt it wasn't acceptable because she was their queen. Still others didn't think a queen should be learning what was considered a skill reserved for the lower classes. When Youko wondered if anyone had said that to the King of En, the idea struck her.

Keiki was even more reluctant about this idea than he was the first one.

"The King of En is very… reckless," Keiki insisted. "I would not think he'd be the wisest choice for a teacher for Your Majesty."

Youko sent the letter to him anyway. When she reminded Keiki that she was reckless too, he had simply sighed. A few days later, Youko's message was given a reply in the form of Enki, who showed up unexpectedly. He didn't seem too happy about being sent over, either.

"He sent you all the way here just for you to tell me he'd honor my request?" Youko asked, blinking as the boy kirin scowled.

"Shouryuu would do anything to get out of what he's _suppose_ to be doing."

Youko thought the same could be said of Enki, but she didn't voice these thoughts. Eventually, fighting with Keiki the entire time, Youko managed to get everything arranged so that she could meet with Shouryuu and begin her lessons. Twice they met in En, but usually he came to visit her in Kei. He was happy to teach her and Youko was surprised that he was good at it. They practiced with wooden swords, which was lucky for Youko considering how skilled the Ever-King was.

"Your goal shouldn't be to beat your opponent, but to out maneuver them. If you can bring down their defenses or disarm them, you don't have to actually win."

Youko took all his advice to heart and practiced what he taught her whenever she could. Though she knew it would never be possible for her to win a match against a man who'd been in practice for over five hundred years, she still enjoyed trying.

Currently the day was a hot one and the sun was high in the cloudless sky. Spring was turning into summer and the heat was proof. In one of the wide gardens within the Kei palace, the only sound in the air was the loud banging of wooden swords. Youko was quick on her feet when she fought, if nothing else. It was also clear she remembered her own movements under her hinman's influence. Even so, she wasn't quite good enough and suddenly Shouryuu had knocked the sword from her hand, causing her to lose her balance and fall over. She groaned at the painful fall and Shouryuu laughed.

"You're getting better. You have a lot of the basics memorized already. That's not bad for only a few weeks of training," He told her kindly.

"I guess… but I still seem to end up on the ground a lot."

"Yes, well… that's part of the growing experience."

He offered her his hand and she took it, climbing to her feet with his help. Shouryuu handed the wooden sword back to her.

"You're still trying too hard to win. Remember what I told you, it isn't about that."

Youko nodded and suddenly a loud whistle broke her concentration. Both rulers glanced towards the noise and Rokuta gave them a cheeky grin, waving. He was perched on the red railing nearby, peach in hand and clearly enjoying the weather. Keiki stood beside him, looking exasperated and anxious.

Shouryuu sighed. "Just ignore the peanut gallery, Youko."

Youko chuckled. "It's more of a one kirin peanut gallery. All Keiki does is stand there and worry. He makes me nervous."

"I'm afraid I haven't yet mastered the art of getting a kirin to leave you alone when you want it to," Shouryuu replied, looking comically crestfallen by this. "But once I do I will be sure to pass it on to you."

Enki stuck his tongue out at them both. Keiki gave the smaller kirin a flat look and Youko laughed. She always enjoyed the company of Enki and Shouryuu. She was happy to call them her friends and rarely did she get to be herself around others like this. A select few allowed her this privilege—Rakushun, Shoukei and Suzu came to mind—so she cherished these moments.

"Shall we try again?" Shouryuu asked with a smile.

Youko nodded. "Yes!"

Youko readied herself, getting a firm grip on the sword's hilt and finding her stance. After a moment she swung left and then right, up diagonally and then from top to bottom. The muscles in her arms ached as she moved, striking and dodging at the same time. Every blow she made was easily blocked by the Ever-King, but this was to be expected.

"At the very least, he is behaving himself," Keiki murmured from where he stood.

Enki took a big bite from the peach in his hand and snickered. "That's because it's Youko. You worry too much, Keiki."

"You cannot blame me for my concern, En Taiho."

The boy shrugged and took another mouthful of peach. Keiki sighed again and continued to watch the two battle. He still did not entirely understand why Youko had been so insistent about this. She had Jouyuu and she would always have him least something happened to Keiki. Seeing as how the Taiho did not foresee anything bad befalling him any time soon, there was thus no reason for this. It was completely illogical to waste time practicing when she already had the means to obtain this particular skill.

"I just do not understand it," Keiki sighed after a long pause. "Why does she insist on doing this? She doesn't need to learn how to wield a sword. She has a hinman."

Enki cocked his head in Keiki's direction, eyes momentarily leaving the mock battle nearby. "You sure are being unusually talkative today."

Keiki shot him a look and Enki held up his hands. "Don't ask me."

The kirin sighed yet again and Rokuta shook his head. He gazed thoughtfully to the side, trying to think of a possible reason himself why Youko had been so eager.

"Youko's just… Youko, I guess. That's the way she is. She wants to do things herself."

"But she is. Jouyuu is merely aiding her."

"Youko doesn't see it that way. Shouldn't you know better than anyone?"

At that, Keiki faltered. Yes, he should know, shouldn't he? It was often said how the kirin was the other half of the ruler and how no one could understand the ruler better than the kirin who advised him or her. Although even the best ruler and kirin combination could never understand one another completely, there would still always be a level of understanding no one else could hope to achieve. Yet Keiki was beginning to realize he did not know Youko very well at all. The combination of his own personality and the problem he had in the past with getting too close to his ruler seemed to have automatically kept him too far from her.

As he was coming to this conclusion, Keiki turned his eyes absently back to the mock battle.

"Your Majesty, behind--!"

Enki glanced up at Keiki's shouting in time to see Youko trip. Shouryuu's parry had knocked her completely off balance again. She fell backwards except this time she was too close to the edge of the small pond that sat in the center of the garden. Seeing his mistake, Shouryuu attempted to catch her arm. Unfortunately Youko grabbed his sleeve and caught Shouryuu by surprise instead. Together the two rulers fell ungracefully into the knee-deep water with a great splash.

"—you…"

Rokuta howled with laughter and nearly fell from the railing. Keiki hung his head in exasperation. He could feel another headache coming on at this rate. Hurriedly he hopped over the railing and crossed the gardens, pausing at the pond's edge with a deep frown of concern. Youko sat in the center of the pond, completely soaked and looking very confused. Shouryuu had been unfortunate enough to fall face first into the water, though he had since picked himself up and was now simply sitting cross-legged beside Youko. The water was extremely cold, but considering the heat of the day this wasn't entirely a bad thing.

"Well, that was unexpected," Shouryuu commented casually. Youko could only blink.

Enki had composed himself enough to join Keiki, standing beside him with his hands on his hips and a great grin on his face.

"This just made my day."

Shouryuu gave his kirin a sour look. "Happy to be of service, I suppose."

The king calmly stood, stepped out onto the grass and proceeded to wring the water out of his sleeves directly above Enki's head. The boy yelped and darted away, but the damage had been done. He scowled and Shouryuu grinned. In retaliation, Enki attempted to flick some of the water back at him.

"I'm already drenched, so that won't work."

"I'll get you back for that somehow, old man!"

"Indeed."

Sighing at their childish behavior, Keiki knelt to Youko who was still sitting dazed in the water.

"Your Majesty, are you all right…?"

Youko blinked. "Keiki? I… Oh, y-yes. Of course, I'm fine. I was just a little… surprised."

"Are you certain?"

"Yes, yes…" Youko waved a hand dismissively at the worry in Keiki's face and stood. "I'm really clumsy today."

Shouryuu glanced over to her with a laugh. "It was sort of refreshing, don't you think?"

"I-I'm sorry for dragging you down with me," Youko said as she stepped onto the grass as well.

"Don't be, it was great," Rokuta told her with a grin.

Water from the other sleeve came down on his head and he angrily slapped Shouryuu's arm away. "Knock it off!"

Ignoring him, Shouryuu chuckled at Youko. "Don't worry about it, though perhaps we should call it quits for the day before you drag me into the rose bushes next."

Youko blushed in embarrassment. "Right…"

She paused for a moment, glancing around for the wooden sword she had been using. Realizing it had fallen into the water with her, Youko turned and made to grab it. However she slipped again on the rocks that boarded the pond's edge. Beside her, Keiki instinctively moved to catch her. This time, however, Youko caught her balance by herself and avoided falling further into the pond. Keiki, however, did not.

To his credit, Enki tried very hard to keep from laughing. He hid his entire face behind his sleeve and bit his lip so hard it hurt. Shouryuu turned his back completely but his shoulders shook from suppressed laughter. Youko sat at pond's edge on her knees, staring with wide eyes at the now drenched Keiki sitting in the water before her. She looked like she was about to cry however it was from the strain of holding her own laughter back that she was making such a face.

For several seconds, there was a heavy silence in the air. It was the type of silence that comes only when everyone present knows the moment they look at each it would be all over. Sure enough, Shouryuu and Enki dared to exchange looks and lost their dignity (or what was left of it by this point) to loud laughter that caused a near by guard to peer around the corner in confusion. Hearing them laugh only served to make Youko's fight against her own that much harder.

"K-Keiki! A-Are you all right? I'm so s-sorry, I…"

It was too much. She had never seen Keiki in such a state before. His clothes and hair were completely wet and heavy looking. The look on his face was so stunned that Youko could not hold it in. The queen of Kei collapsed helplessly into laughter, joining Shouryuu and Enki. Watching the three of them laughing like hyenas only served to irritate the wet kirin.

Yet as Keiki sat there, soaked to the bone and thoroughly aggravated, the faint traces of a smile could be seen.


	4. two halves :: rulers & kirins

**[disclaimer]** :: In these series of drabbles, things may or may not contradict with the canon. Timelines may or may not be rearranged, messed up or otherwise ignored. Terms, places, phrases and spellings may or may not be 100% correct. Tiny tidbits of information may or may not be included. In short, these stories are just fun little ideas that have popped into my head concerning the characters and their relationships with each other. 100% canon accuracy isn't what I'm aiming for since the 12K world is huge and somewhat confusing. But I did my best and hope that you enjoy it nevertheless.

* * *

Youko remembered the first time she had stayed at the En Palace. Although that seemed like only yesterday, it really had been half a century ago now. The palace had seemed so big and too fancy for her tastes. Never would she imagine that she would eventually become _use_ to such fancy arrangements. She had to admit to still not being too fond of them but she no longer felt as uncomfortable as the first time. However this was the first time since that night so long ago that she had stayed inside this place. Standing on a balcony over looking the sky sea, a gentle breeze ruffled Youko's night garments and her hair that spilled around her shoulders.

It had been an odd request, even for the Ever-King. He had invited Youko and Keiki to En for no other reason than to see them. Youko supposed it was fair. Both En Ou and Enki had visited her in Kei several times within the past few years. Now that Kei was much more stable Youko saw no reason why she could not stop by and say hello. Keiki had accompanied her as well, though he had protested the visit like always. His argument was that there was still work to be done even if Kei was in much better shape. Yet his protest went ignored, as Youko had already made up her mind.

So off they went to En and were warmly greeted by the king. Youko always enjoyed spending time with Shouryuu. Unlike Keiki or her ministers, Youko felt like she could truly be herself around him. He was easy-going and yet very wise. The queen wondered if this was how having an older brother would've been like. Yet while Shouryuu was present, Enki was not. At first Youko did not find it too odd as she knew the Taiho wandered off as frequently as his king. As the day went on, however, Enki never joined them. Shouryuu did not seemed alarmed so Youko didn't think much of it. Still she could not shake the feeling that it was a bit off.

That night under the full moon and perfectly clear sky, Youko found she could not sleep. Keiki had returned to Kei before sunset, wanting instead to get work done back at the palace. He had told Youko she had to return tomorrow and do her own work. Perhaps that was why she was so restless. The thought that this enjoyable occasion of visiting friends would be ruined tomorrow with piles of work made her sigh heavily.

_I suppose a Queen's work is never done._

Youko pondered further about how much she and everything around her had changed since that fateful day at school. It still didn't seem that long ago. Leaving the balcony's edge, Youko walked along the wooden planks with one hand on the railing. Eventually she walked down a series of stairs and headed towards the main gardens of the palace. Despite the darkness the moon was so bright that it lit her path clearly. She was enjoying her walk, lost in thought until she came upon someone sitting on a small porch like area. Truthfully it was part of the same walkway Youko was traveling on, but simply lowered to the ground by a series of steps. Youko paused half way down these stairs and blinked.

"Feeling restless?" the figure asked and Youko realized it was Shouryuu.

"I suppose Keiki spoiled my mood a little," She admitted with a small chuckle. "He really…"

Youko trailed off as she moved closer. She paused again in her steps and blinked. Shouryuu was not alone and it appeared the missing kirin had been found. Yet Youko had not expected to see such a sight in all her years of knowing them both.

Shouryuu was sitting lazily on the porch, legs hanging over the edge and feet planted firmly on the grass of the garden below. Sprawled out across his lap was Enki, fast asleep on his side. Although his upper body used Shouryuu's legs as a cushion, his lower half still rested on the wooden planks. He looked so comfortable sleeping there that Youko suddenly felt embarrassed.

"I… er… I'm sorry," She said quickly.

"For what?" Shouryuu asked, genuinely perplexed.

Youko's gaze shifted to the sleeping kirin and Shouryuu realized what she meant. He laughed kindly. "It's rare, isn't it? To think he can actually be this quiet."

Youko shook her head awkwardly. "N-No, I just thought… um… It just feels like I'm interrupted something."

The Ever-King arched an eyebrow at her and she just blushed. "I'm sorry," She repeated hopelessly.

Shouryuu shook his head. "I suppose… it really is rare for you to see Enki actually behaving. He's only tolerable when he's asleep."

Youko hid a small giggle behind her sleeve and the embarrassment left her. In its place she felt a sort of warmth at seeing them both so at peace with each other. They treated each other like brothers sometimes and in public they were always bickering. Yet they clearly had a strong connection to each other at the same time. Youko had just never witnessed any solid proof. This seemed like all the proof one would need and it made her smile. Shouryuu motioned to the space on his other side.

"You can join us if it doesn't make you too uncomfortable."

"Yes, thank you."

Youko moved past them to sit, also dangling her legs over the edge of the porch. Her feet, protected by flimsy sandals, did not touch the ground. She kicked her legs childishly and felt her exposed toes brush against the strands of grass. Not quite tall enough, but close. Then again she supposed she wasn't going to grow anymore now. Looking out across the gardens she was facing, she found the sight truly breath taking. She had never seen this garden at night before. The cherry blossom trees seemed to glow in the moonlight. The water from the small pond shimmered silver and fireflies flickered everywhere. It was like a whole different place and Youko was struck by how normal the fireflies were in such a surreal setting.

She glanced back towards Shouryuu, who was also admiring the view. Her gaze drifted back down to the sleeping kirin and she smiled. He did look quite different when he was asleep.

"Where was he today?" She inquired. "If you don't mind me asking."

"I do not," Shouryuu chuckled. "I'm afraid Rokuta had run off earlier that morning. He wasn't too happy with me, I think."

Youko blinked. "Did you two have an argument?"

"Something like that."

Youko seemed perplexed by that. She wasn't sure why but she just couldn't picture them having a serious disagreement.

_There really is a whole other side to both of them that no one else sees._

It was why she had felt so embarrassed earlier. Somehow she couldn't help but feel she was witnessing that rare side they did not let others see. Youko realized a bit too late Shouryuu was watching her. She broke from her thoughts and smiled.

"But you've sorted it out now, haven't you?"

Shouryuu nodded. "I suppose we have, yes. Though I have now discovered how irritable a kirin can become."

Youko rolled her eyes. "I could've told you all about that, you know. Keiki's rarely _not_ irritable."

Laughing Shouryuu asked, "Keiki hasn't improved?"

"I don't know," Youko sighed and looked down at her feet. "He's just so… cold. I know that's just the way he is and by now I'm use to it, but… I see how the other kings and their kirins are and I wish it cold be like that for us. I can't be myself around him at all. I'm always afraid of those disapproving looks and those sighs."

"Who are you comparing yourself to? Every ruler has a different relationship with his or her kirin. Likewise, every kirin is different."

"I know, I know…" Youko huffed and looked much like a frustrated child suddenly. Watching the fireflies dance across the garden, Youko tried to put her feelings into thoughts. "I know that Keiki is who he is. He'll always be like that and I've accepted it. And given his past I guess he must be hesitant to show any emotion towards his ruler. Still… I just wish he wasn't so serious all the time. I also wish he would let me do things my way. I appreciate his guidance and I need his knowledge of this world, but he's so strict with traditional things. Every time I want to do or say something that doesn't fit the rulebook he protests. It's frustrating because I know he means well but it really bothers me at the same time."

Shouryuu looked thoughtful at her words, mulling them over silently. For her part Youko felt a little guilty. It had been a long time since she had taken the throne and paired up with Keiki to rule Kei. She shouldn't still be having these feeling. Normally they weren't there, yet every now and then they would surface and pester her relentlessly.

"Renrin and Seitaku are polar opposites, I've heard. Renrin is incredibly proper and places high emphasis on it. The ruler she chose, however, is anything but. He prefers his time spent on farmlands and cares little for formality. The Peace-King of Tai is a general and about as fierce as the tiger youma he tamed. Yet Taiki is as gentle as a lamb and as timid as a mouse."

Shouryuu lifted his hand and placed it lightly on top of Enki's head. "I believe that the ruler a kirin selects is also his or her opposite in some way. Sometimes the opposites are obvious, but other times they aren't. Why it works that way is anyone's guess. Perhaps it's Tentei's lifelong test for us. Whatever the reason I believe it's for the greater purpose. They are the other half, after all, and I would think your other half would be very unlike you in some ways in order to make a whole."

Lifting his gaze to Youko the Ever-King smiled. "I don't think anyone can truly understand a kirin. No matter how long you may find yourself living with one, they'll still mange to surprise you. In that case all you can do _is_ be yourself and try to get along. It's difficult, but not impossible."

Youko watched him for a moment before her gaze fell back towards the garden. She absorbed his words for a long time, her expression unreadable. She briefly wondered what differences Enki and Shouryuu had. A lone firefly drifted towards her and she held out her finger for it. To her surprise it landed on the tip and fluttered its wings.

"I guess I just feel my best isn't good enough for him. I don't dislike Keiki or anything like that. He's just so intimidating sometimes. I agree with what you said, but it just… isn't that simple."

"Of course not," Shouryuu chuckled. "That's what I said, isn't it? Difficult but not impossible."

Youko sighed and nodded. "Sorry, you're right. I'm just being stubborn."

"A quality you both share."

Youko made a face at him and the firefly floated away in alarm. "You and Rokuta are much more stubborn than either of us, you know."

Shouryuu laughed, though he stayed very conscious of the sleeping Enki and remained quiet. "No, I'm afraid he's much more stubborn than I am."

Youko snorted at that. In her experience they were both very stubborn, though Shouryuu did a better job hiding it than Enki. Sighing, Youko rested her elbows on her knees and placed her chin in her hands.

"I know what you say is true, but… I just hope I can have a better relationship with Keiki in the future. You and Enki share such a positive one that it makes me jealous sometimes. You can act just like you around him and not worry about being judged. I envy that."

Shouryuu seemed thoroughly bemused by this. Enki criticized him all the time. "Youko, a ruler's relationship with the kirin is like any other relationship in life. It takes work to establish and it will never be perfect. Remember that."

Youko sighed and nodded again. She stood at last and stretched her arms high over her head. "Sorry, you're right… I'm just arguing in circles now. I think it means I'm tired."

"Perhaps you should try and get some sleep."

Youko nodded. "Yeah… Thank you." She gave En Ou a small bow, though he dismissed it with a wave of his hand. Then she left.

Shouryuu watched her retreating back until she disappeared around the corner. He chuckled softly to himself before the near silence of night settled on him once more. Watching Youko struggle made him feel sad he could not do more for her other than offer advice. Yet he was very confident that Youko would figure it all out and one day might very well rule longer than he would. The thought made him pause. No ruler stayed in power forever and although it was a morbid thought, Shouryuu could not help but wonder what the end of his reign would be like.

He sat in silence for several moments longer, thinking on this even though he knew he shouldn't. Thankfully the silence broke when Enki finally stirred. He rubbed one eye sleepy and shifted a bit, but did not seem inclined to move. Shouryuu's gaze dropped down on him at the same time the kirin looked up.

"Finally awake, are we?" he chuckled.

Enki blinked and then immediately became flustered. He sat up quickly, crossing his arms over his chest and looking away angrily.

"You should've woken me up!" he huffed.

"You would've complained and preferred to stay asleep."

"I would've preferred not sleeping in your _lap_."

"You seemed comfortable enough."

"Shut up…"

Shouryuu laughed and shook his head, climbing to his feet. "Ah. I understand now."

Despite himself Enki glanced up at him, curious. "Huh?"

"I understand what Youko meant. I'm lucky to have a kirin that I can be myself around."

And with that he turned and headed back for his room. Enki was struck dumb for a moment by the sincerity of Shouryuu's words. He had said it so casually that anyone else might not have understood the impact. But Enki did and for a moment he wasn't sure how to reply. Then something else struck him and he leapt to his feet.

"Wait a second, Youko was here? Just now? She didn't see me, did she? Hey!"

Shouryuu only laughed.


	5. of mice & queens :: youko & rakushun

**[disclaimer]** :: In these series of drabbles, things may or may not contradict with the canon. Timelines may or may not be rearranged, messed up or otherwise ignored. Terms, places, phrases and spellings may or may not be 100% correct. Tiny tidbits of information may or may not be included. In short, these stories are just fun little ideas that have popped into my head concerning the characters and their relationships with each other. 100% canon accuracy isn't what I'm aiming for since the 12K world is huge and somewhat confusing. But I did my best and hope that you enjoy it nevertheless.

* * *

Rakushun sighed. Picking up the empty bag of silver pieces, he stared at it with drooping ears and whiskers. The bird sat perched on his windowsill, starting at him expectantly. But Rakushun knew without any silver pieces to feed it he could not continue sending messages to Youko. Usually the Taiho of En was nice enough to bring him more every so often. Lately, however, Enki had been unusually busy and thus had not stopped by in several weeks. Rakushun had run out during this time and had no other way to get more. He sighed and put the empty bag on the desktop.

"Sorry, I don't have anything for you right now. I promise I'll find something soon," He told the bird.

Rakushun quickly gathered his bag and left the room. He left the school and began to travel down the streets in search of something he could feed the bird. He knew that the bird would not deliver messages without the proper silver pieces, but he could at least find something silver for it to eat. Naturally there was nothing he could readily afford.  
He spent all afternoon searching, but was unable to find anything affordable. The hanjyuu eventually came upon a fountain bubbling in the center of the square, the water splashing refreshingly against his face. Rakushun sat on the edge and glanced up at the sky sadly. It was a warm summer day, perhaps a little too warm to be wandering around looking for bird food.

"What's the matter?"

"Ahhh!"

Rakushun jumped and scrambled off his seat by the fountain, turning sharply with wide eyes. He blinked and the voice that had spoken to him laughed cheekily at his surprise. Although the boy had his hair completely hidden underneath the cloth tied on his head, Rakushun knew immediately who it was.

"E-En Taiho! You startled me again…"

Enki grinned. "One more time and it'll be a new record."

Rakushun sighed. He wasn't quite sure why the En Taiho and his king enjoyed picking on him, but it seemed it was one of their favorite hobbies. Enki tended to visit more than Shouryuu, which was a good thing since the king always wanted to share a drink with him.

"Actually, I'm glad to see you. I have a bit of a problem."

Enki hopped down from his perch on the wall behind the fountain, landing with ease on the fountain's ledge where Rakushun had been seated a moment ago.

"Problem?"

"Yes… I've run out of those silver pieces."

"Oh, for that bird so you can send messages to Youko? Hm..." Enki scratched his head. "I don't have any with me. I didn't realize you were out. It's been busy at the palace lately."

"I've noticed. There are a lot of people at the university saying that something big is going on at the palace."

Enki laughed and waved his hand dismissively. "Nah, just the same old stuff. Plus the Kou ranka hatched recently so Shouryuu wants to keep an eye on his progress."

Rakushun perked up at the mention of his home kingdom. "The kirin of Kou has been born? That's really wonderful news."

"Yup. Kouki was born only recently, though. It'll be a little while before anything comes out of it."

Rakushun smiled. "Still… I'm glad to hear it."

"I thought you might. I came to find you to let you know, among other things."

"Errands for the king?"

Enki rolled his eyes, crossing his arms over his chest in annoyance. "Of course. Though I don't mind this time. I'm sick of being stuck in the palace and Shouryuu sure can't leave right now with all the work."

The kirin stepped down from the ledge and lifted his hand in a small wave. "I better get on them. I'm sorry I didn't bring those silver pieces for you. As soon as I can come back, I will. Until then the bird will be fine without food for a little while."

"I see… Thank you very much, Taiho," Rakushun said and bowed his head gratefully.

Enki just laughed. "Cut it out, I'm supposed to be undercover."

He gave a final wave and disappeared into the crowd. Rakushun watched him go, still smiling faintly. The news of Kouki had brightened his spirits considerably. Kou had been suffering so much lately since the death of the previous king and kirin. He had been worried sick for his mother since the day he had left all those months ago. Hearing that a ranka had appeared in the first place had been a joy but now knowing that it had hatched was even better.

Knowing Enki would keep his word, Rakushun returned back to his room and waited. Days eventually turned into weeks and while the bird showed no distress over not having anything to eat, Rakushun was growing a bit concerned himself. Mostly he was worried about what Youko must be thinking since he hadn't gotten back to her in so long. He didn't think there had ever been a delay this long between their letters. During the third week of no communication on a cool night, Rakushun was disturbed from his sleep by a knock at his window.

The hanjyuu immediately suspected it was Enki and climbed out of bed eagerly. He got half way to the window when it swung inward on its own. Rakushun jumped backwards, startled. He was less startled by the window opening and more so by the person on the other side smiling at him.

"_Youko_?"

The red haired girl laughed. "I'm sorry, Rakushun. Did I frighten you?"

"More like you surprised me! What are you doing all the way here?"

Youko looked a little sheepish and scratched the back of her head. "Well… You never replied and I thought that was a little unusual, so I came to make sure you were okay. I haven't been able to contact the Ever-King or Rokuta about you, either. I guess they've been busy."

Rakushun moved to the window and helped her climb in, though she hardly needed the assistance. He recognized her plain gray clothing and the sword wrapped in cloth on her back. Her hair was done up in a ponytail and it had gotten a lot longer since he had last seen her. In fact, Rakushun realized it had been a really long time since he had last seen her face. Although he knew she didn't age physically anymore he couldn't help but think she looked a lot older.

"I never expected to see you here," He told her. "I don't know what to say."

Youko smiled kindly at her friend and sat down on the chair beside his desk. "Just be grateful I even made it this far. It was a real challenge to get away from the palace without Keiki knowing where I was really going."

Rakushun stared. "You left without telling anyone? But…"

"I left without telling Keiki the whole truth," She said with a mischievous smile.

Rakushun laughed despite himself. "I see. I wonder if the Ever-King is starting to rub off on you."

"I hope so! He's been ruling for five hundred years. I'd like to rule that long."

At this Rakushun smiled. "You will. I'm sure of it."

Youko paused at this. She stared at Rakushun, who gave her an inquisitive look. Honestly Youko couldn't imagine ruling for that long, but another thought had struck her.

"Rakushun, what will you do when you're done with school? I mean, have you thought about it?"

Rakushun scratched his chin and sat down on the edge of his bed, clawed feet hanging just above the floor. "Well… I was hoping to get a job as a government official here in En. The King of En already said he'd help make sure that happens for me, but I want to get a job with my skills. I don't want to depend on his help alone."

Youko chuckled lightly, giving her friend a warm smile. "I see. I was just thinking… Would you like to work in Kei?"

Rakushun seemed surprised. "In Kei?"

"Yeah. Things are getting better every day and I already have Kentai in my court. I would… be really honored to have you by my side, Rakushun."

The hanjyuu felt himself blush in embarrassment and was thankful his fur hid the redness so well. He was taken aback by Youko's request and scratched his neck sheepishly.

"Do... you really mean that, Youko? You'd let me serve in your court?"

"Of course. I need people in my court I can trust and depend on and I can't think of anyone I trust more than you."

"Y-Youko! You're embarrassing me…"

The queen laughed at the look on Rakushun's face. She felt very happy suddenly. Rakushun really was the only person she could truly relax around. It was such a weight off her shoulders to be around him as opposed to being around her stiff kirin or in front of her officials that demanded proper behavior from her.

"Will you think about it? I know it's a long ways off, but…"

Rakushun nodded. "Of course. It sounds like a dream come true. I never thought I'd get an offer to work directly under a queen."

Rakushun looked away, scratching his neck again. Youko just smiled more. Perhaps the request had been a selfish one. She wanted Rakushun by her side no matter what. For all she knew he had no desire to work in Kei. Maybe he even wanted to go back to Kou someday now that the new Kouki had been born. Or perhaps she was even afraid of Rakushun's mortality versus her own immortality. Making him a part of her court meant he could become a Sennin. How would he ever see the kind of kingdom she could build if he was mortal?

Youko smiled. "You probably never thought you'd save the life of a queen, either."

"Maybe," Rakushun said thoughtful. "But you saved my life too, Youko."

Youko blushed and shook her head. "I-I didn't…"

Rakushun hopped off his bed and took a few steps to her, placing his paws on her hand. He was smiling.

"I know you don't think you did, but you did. Or maybe…" He scratched his face. "Maybe it's more accurate to say that you gave something really special. You were the first friend I ever had."

This was something Youko had never thought about before. "The very first? Really?"

"Hanjyuu weren't allowed outside in Kou, remember? Not that I stayed in my house all the time but I didn't talk to many people."

"That's true…" She smiled warmly and gave a tiny laugh. "Their loss."

The two talked for most of the night before Youko had to leave, knowingly Keiki would start to get suspicious if she was away too long. As she left Rakushun found that he was quite thankful to have run out of silver pieces.


	6. gift horse :: en & han

**[disclaimer]** :: In these series of drabbles, things may or may not contradict with the canon. Timelines may or may not be rearranged, messed up or otherwise ignored. Terms, places, phrases and spellings may or may not be 100% correct. Tiny tidbits of information may or may not be included. In short, these stories are just fun little ideas that have popped into my head concerning the characters and their relationships with each other. 100% canon accuracy isn't what I'm aiming for since the 12K world is huge and somewhat confusing. But I did my best and hope that you enjoy it nevertheless.

* * *

In the early summer season the weather was always just perfect to enjoy. Today was particularly nice. The sky was the greatest shade of blue and completely cloudless. The sun was wonderfully warm but the breeze kept it from being too hot. Perfect, fair weather. What more could anyone ask for, Rokuta thought. He was lounging outside, perched on the railing that followed along the pathways around the palace. He was overlooking one of the many gardens, watching butterflies and bees flutter from flower to flower. Finishing up his fifth peach that afternoon, Enki casually tossed the pit into the near by pond and the fish within its depths scurried to escape it. Everything was very peaceful.

"Little monkey!"

Or, rather, it would've been very peaceful had Hanrin and Han Ou not decided to drop in a few days ago. Enki tilted his head back and shot the other kirin an annoyed look as she came around the corner. As always she was dressed fashionably, yet casually enough to move about the palace. Yet her level of casual didn't even come close to his. This was something he had grown use to, however.

"Stop calling me that, will ya?"

Hanrin giggled and waved a hand at him dismissively, golden bracelets on her wrist jingling. She stopped beside him. "Where did your ape king go?"

"He's probably avoiding your "queen". What are you guys even doing here?"

Hanrin huffed at the insult and ignored it. "I already told you! The Queen of Kei has summoned us all to meet here and your uncivilized king agreed to use En as the meeting point. I do believe she invited some of the other rulers as well. Something about a union of support."

"But that's not for another week…"

"We like to arrive fashionably on time!"

Enki sighed and shook his head. Being stuck with the royal Taiho and King of Han was going to drive everyone in the palace insane. They were the polar opposites of the royal pair of En. They were flamboyant and expected the uttermost attention by servants and staff. Meanwhile Rokuta and Shouryuu were the exact opposite. No wonder the two kingdoms didn't get along. Trying to serve both sets without making the other miserable was going to be a real challenge and Enki pitied the palace staff greatly.

"I'm surprised the En palace is so nice, all things considered. It's still much too plain for my tastes, though. And your room, Enki! Where are all your gifts?"

"Hey, what were you doing in my room?"

Hanrin shrugged. "Well if we're going to stay here I'd like to know what kind of place it is. Honored guests should live in luxury!"

"Unbelievable…"

Hanrin leaned on the railing to peer at the garden. "Well?"

"Well what?"

"Where do you keep your gifts?"

Enki stared blankly, causing Hanrin to make a displeased face at him. "Gifts! Doesn't your king give you presents?"

"Um… no."

Her eyes widen in pure shock and there was an awkward pause in which she simply stared at him. Enki stared back and realized he had just stepped into dangerous territory here.

"No?!"

"Er…" He was contemplating making a break for it. Hanrin straightened her back and turned to face him completely, hands on her hips. She looked so appalled that Enki instinctively shrank back.

"You don't get any gifts at all? None? No fine clothes or jewelry or lovely decorations to go in your room?"

Enki coughed. "You forget who you're talking to."

"Still!" Hanrin insisted. She looked very adamant about this. "A king should shower his beloved kirin with ravishing affection!"

Enki slapped his palm to his face. Han Ou had done a swell job brainwashing her if nothing else. What nonsense was she uttering? Kirin were servants to their masters. Technically the rulers didn't have to do a thing for them.

"I knew your king was horrible but this is unacceptable! All kirin should receive gifts!"

Enki opened his mouth to retort but Shouryuu and Ranjou chose that moment to come around the corner. Enki wasn't sure if this was a good thing or not. Hanrin was pretty but Ranjou was by far prettier. He always wore the absolutely finest robes and was never seen without a fan. Noticing his gaze looking over her shoulder, Hanrin spun around. She saw them both and looked more determined than ever. Quickly she marched toward them and Enki leapt from his perch to intercept her.

"Hanrin, don't--"

"You!"

She jabbed a finger at Shouryuu, who blinked.

"Risetsu, dear, what's the matter?" Ranjou asked from beside the En king, fanning himself lightly with a highly embroider fan.

"You don't give your kirin gifts!" Hanrin continued. Beside her, Enki sighed.

Shouryuu arched an eyebrow at her and then gave Rokuta a curious glance. All he got was a helpless shrug.

"Gifts?"

"Yes!"

"Why on earth would I possibly give him gifts?"

Beside him Ranjou made a sound that sounded suspiciously like a laugh, earning Shouryuu's glare.

"You are talking to the uncivilized monkey who sold off most of En's imperial treasure, darling," Han Ou said with high amusement.

Shouryuu looked irritated. "I believe the only _gift_ Enki would ever want is growing in the garden nearest his chamber and producing many fine peaches."

"Only one gift in five hundred years?!"

Enki, who had been a bit amused with the scolding Shouryuu was receiving from them both, was now beginning to look exasperated and embarrassed.

"Hanrin, cut it out already," He muttered.

Hanrin turned at the sound of his voice, suddenly looking saddened. "Poor Rokuta!" Without warning she dropped to her knees and threw her arms around the shorter kirin's neck. "You can have some of my clothes and jewelry, okay?"

Enki squirmed. "Leggo!"

Ranjou gave a wistful sigh and wiped a tear from his eye. "My Risetsu is so thoughtful!"

Hanrin beamed and Enki used this chance to slip out of her embrace and dart behind Shouryuu. The Ever King rubbed his temples.

"If you two are finished, I _politely_ ask you both to return to your rooms. Now."

Ranjou moved away, ignoring him. "Come along, Risetsu. I still haven't seen all of the palace yet."

Hanrin hopped to her feet and hurried after him. Enki poked his head out from behind his king to watch them leave, waiting until they rounded the other corner to breath a sigh of relieve. Suddenly a sharp pain shot through his head and he yelped, jumping back. Shouryuu glared at him.

"Ow! What was that for?!"

"I'm having enough trouble entertaining them as it is without you causing trouble."

Enki rubbed his head where Shouryuu had whacked him and glared back. "I didn't do anything! She asked if you gave me jewelry, I said no and she went nuts!"

Shouryuu glared for a moment longer before he sighed, the anger lost. "They _are_ being more eccentric than usual today. I'm beginning to regret offering to host this gathering, even if it is on behalf of the lovely Queen Kei."

"I think they came early just to torture us."

Shouryuu snorted. "In any case, I'm sure you'll look lovely wearing Hanrin's jewelry."

"Shut up, old man."


	7. bubbles :: gyousou & taiki

**[disclaimer]** :: In these series of drabbles, things may or may not contradict with the canon. Timelines may or may not be rearranged, messed up or otherwise ignored. Terms, places, phrases and spellings may or may not be 100% correct. Tiny tidbits of information may or may not be included. In short, these stories are just fun little ideas that have popped into my head concerning the characters and their relationships with each other. 100% canon accuracy isn't what I'm aiming for since the 12K world is huge and somewhat confusing. But I did my best and hope that you enjoy it nevertheless.

* * *

"Kouri… what in Heaven's name happened?"

Gyousou's tone was so exasperated that it made Taiki avert his gaze. He tugged absently on the sleeve of his now muddy robes.

"Um…"

He knew what had happened but for some reason he was too embarrassed to tell Gyousou. For several weeks now Tai had been experience an odd drought. The weather was mild but no rain had fallen. Today, however, had brought stormy skies and lots of rain to soak the dried out landscape. Taiki had been so thrilled to see it that he'd rushed outside before Sanshi could grab him. Immediately he had tripped and fallen face first into the nearest mud puddle. Now he stood before his king, soaking wet and covered with slowly drying mud. His usually pale skin now seemed unnaturally dark.

The little kirin continued to stare down at his feet, uncertain of what to say. After a long pause, Gyousou chuckled.

"You must be a handful for Sanshi."

Taiki flushed. "I-I'm so sorry, I really shouldn't run off like that. I always just cause trouble for you and Risai and everyone else in the palace and--"

"Kouri."

Taiki snapped his mouth shut instantly and looked up. Gyousou reached down suddenly and lifted the Taiho up and onto one shoulder. Taiki squeaked in surprised, not expecting that. He felt comforted by the gesture and by being so close to Gyousou. The man's usually fierce looking face softened. It was a rare expression, an expression just for him.

At Taiki's curious look Gyousou said, "You're not hurt so no harm done. Let's get you cleaned up."

Taiki blinked and then looked startled. Being held by Gyousou had made him completely forget his current situation. He blushed, even more embarrassed than before, as Gyousou carried him out of the room.

"I-I'm sorry, my clothes are getting you dirty."

Gyousou laughed kindly. "They are merely clothes. They can be washed."

The king carried the small kirin to the baths. Taiki was still awed by their size and even more baffled by the fact that this large area was reserved only for him and Gyousou. Everyone else in the palace had to bathe in significantly smaller pools. Upon entering he gave a small sigh. It was always warm within, but never too hot so as to feel uncomfortable. The steam seemed to wrap around him, comforting him and lulling him into a dream like state. It made him so incredibly sleepy.

He jerked awake as Gyousou sat him down gently, kneeling so he was at a more eye level with the boy. "Just leave your dirty clothes aside. Someone will clean them for you. Do you need assistance?"

Taiki looked flustered. "F-From you?"

The king arched an eyebrow at him. "Actually I though a servant would be enough, but if you'd like."

Taiki's face went red and he shook his head fiercely, wishing the floor would swallow him up. "N-No!" He squeaked. "S-Sorry, I'm f-fine!"

Gyousou gave him an odd look, but nodded. "As you wish then."

Then the general stood and was gone, leaving Taiki all alone in the impossibly huge bathroom. He fidgeted a little, shifting on his feet. He still felt horribly embarrassed. Clumsily he undid the various ties and snaps to his robes, peeling the sopping wet clothes from his skin.

But he was unable to stand the loneliness and so he tentatively called out, "Sanshi?"

Instantly she as at his side, helping him pull the rest of his clothes off and folding them over her arm. Taiki gave her a shy smile and turned, heading towards the large pool of water just ahead. The water was cloudy with soap and natural herbs that were added to it. Truthfully the place reminded Taiki more of a hot springs or a bathhouse from Japan as opposed to a regular bathing area. He slipped into the warm water with a sigh. At first it felt so hot to his cold skin but very quickly it warmed him to the core and he sunk until the water was up to his chin. Sanshi hovered behind him.

"Taiki, you must wash all the mud off," she told him.

"Oh, right…"

She handed him a washcloth and he went to work scrubbing all the offending dirt from his otherwise flawless pale skin. Sanshi decided to help. She settled down behind him, dipping one of her leopard paws into the water as she started scrubbing the dirt from his mane. Taiki giggled as she worked, squirming at the way her fingers tickled the back of his head. Sanshi chuckled herself, smiling fondly. She got most of the grim out from his steel gray hair before Taiki wasn't able to sit still anymore and swam away. The bath was so large that Taiki could do laps around it if he wanted, though the pool wasn't quite deep enough for that. Still he enjoyed paddling around a bit, which he did before Sanshi told him he had been in for awhile.

Not wanting to but knowing he'd make a lot of people worry if he was here too long, Taiki climbed out of the bath and Sanshi wrapped him securely with a towel. As he clutched the towel to himself and Sanshi dried his hair with another, the kirin asked her, "Sanshi, am I weird?"

"Weird?"

"You know… for a kirin. I'm not really normal, right?"

"You are the only kirin I have known."

"Huh?" Taiki turned to look up at her, forcing her to stop drying his mane. "But you met the Kei Taiho, didn't you? When we talked and when he showed me how to tame shirei…"

"Yes."

"So compared to him, I'm weird. Right?"

Sanshi frowned, though the expression was very slight and only Taiki was able to tell the difference. "You are not like the Kei Taiho."

This news caused him to look crestfallen and he looked away. He stared down as his bare feet and Sanshi resumed drying his mane. He was so small and pathetic compared to the other kirin. The Ren Taiho was so beautiful and she was able to use a very helpful treasure. Kei Taiho was strong and able to easily transform and tame shirei. He was also wise and gentle. En Taiho was small too but he made up for it by being smart and knowledge about the world around him. Then there were the others he had met, albeit briefly. The taiho of Kou, Kyou, Hou and Sai; each unique but in a special and awe-inspiring sort of way. But then there was him. Taiki, the black kirin and taika from Japan. Everyone said he was special for being a black kirin but Taiki felt that wasn't any kind of accomplishment. He had just been lucky to be born that way. Taming Gouran had been luck, too. There was nothing special about him.

He was a klutz and too small. He didn't really know how to transform, he had only done it once in desperation. He only had one shirei plus Sanshi and knew so little about this world that he couldn't properly advise Gyousou. Gyousou deserved a better kirin than him, one who could actually help him with all the things he had to accomplish.

Taiki's vision suddenly blurred and he blinked. He rubbed his eyes quickly, trying to rid the tears that were forming.

"Kouri?"

He glanced up in alarm. Gyousou was there, looking concerned. Taiki panicked briefly, hoping the king hadn't seen him cry. He was weak too. He could add that to the list of his failures.

"L-Lord Gyousou, I'm all clean now. So I…"

"Is something wrong?"

Taiki clutched the towel tightly and shook his head. "N-No, I…"

"Please don't lie to me."

Taiki stiffened. His voice sounded almost pleading but mostly it was very concerned. He didn't like making Gyousou worry and was instantly plagued with guilt. He didn't want to lie to his king either.

"Am I… weird?"

Gyousou, who had been standing partially hidden by the door, emerged to step fully into the room. He looked perplexed. "Weird?"

"F-For a kirin… I'm weird, aren't I?"

Gyousou was silent a moment before he replied, "I wouldn't describe it as weird."

"But I'm not normal."

"Why do you say that?"

Taiki averted his gaze to his feet again. "I'm so clumsy. If my robes are too long I trip over them and I make everyone worried. I don't know anything that's going on in Tai and it's supposed to be my kingdom. I can't advise you because I don't know anything. I can't transform at will, I only did it once by accident. I'm not pretty like Ren Taiho or skilled like the Kei Taiho… I'm weird compared to the other kirin. I'm not even the right color. Y-You… deserve a better kirin."

Silence followed his words, making Taiki feel worse. Gyousou probably agreed with all of that but never said anything because he didn't want to hurt Taiki's feelings. But it was okay, Taiki thought. He deserved to be thought of that way. He heard Gyousou cross the short space between them and suddenly he was knelt in front of him. Taiki looked up at him with teary eyes. He was smiling.

"You are rather clumsy," Gyousou said. "And childish. You don't really know much and you'd much rather play in the rain then listen to your tutor teach you about politics."

The general scooped Taiki up, towel and all, and placed him on his shoulder. Briefly Taiki was reminded of the first time Gyousou had carried him like this when he had chosen him.

"But that's what I like about you, Kouri. You're not like the other kirin. That's what makes you a wonderful kirin to have by my side."

Taiki smiled and threw his arms around the king's neck without thinking. He felt a great weight lift from his shoulders. And just like that he felt it was all the reassurance he would ever need.


	8. tears :: gyousou & taiki

**[WARNING] ::** There are spoilers for _Demon's Child_ and _A Shore in Twilight_. Also, slight boy love. Well... king/kirin love.

**[disclaimer]** :: In these series of drabbles, things may or may not contradict with the canon. Timelines may or may not be rearranged, messed up or otherwise ignored. Terms, places, phrases and spellings may or may not be 100% correct. Tiny tidbits of information may or may not be included. In short, these stories are just fun little ideas that have popped into my head concerning the characters and their relationships with each other. 100% canon accuracy isn't what I'm aiming for since the 12K world is huge and somewhat confusing. But I did my best and hope that you enjoy it nevertheless.

* * *

He awoke to the sound of someone crying out. He wasn't sure why it woke him so suddenly. Perhaps his years as a general and then his years all alone had heightened his senses. He sat bolt upright, alarmed. Yet all around him was stillness and quiet. Nothing stirred in the dead of night and he briefly wondered just how late it was. Gyousou did not bother trying to go back to sleep. Somewhere subconsciously he knew what he had heard even if it was physically impossible for him to have done so. The bedroom of the king was not near the bed of the taiho, after all. The king of Tai had never wondered why that was nor had he cared but tonight he found it a bit of a hindrance. After tugging on his robe he made his way there, pausing when he reached the entrance. He heard soft sobs coming from the darkness within and a deep frown creased his face.

"Kouri?"

His voice instantly caused the crying to cease and the room went still. Worried, Gyousou waited until his eyes were more adjusted to the darkness before he entered. He could see Taiki's faint outline sitting on the bed. After a few minutes he managed to get some proper lighting in the room. The black kirin sat on the bed, wearing his own sleeping gown and wrapped up in the blankets. Even in the middle of summer it was bitterly cold at night. Even after all this time Gyousou was still surprised by how much Taiki had aged. He was no longer ten, but sixteen, with his mane now grown out to a more appropriate length than it had been when the kirin had been reunited with his master. His face was stained with tears.

"What's the matter?" the king asked after a moment of silence. "I heard you cry out."

"Heard me? But you're so far away," Taiki replied. His voice was quiet and weakened.

"I know. It's strange."

Gyousou moved closer and sat on the edge of bed beside his kirin, peering at him with concern. His hardened warrior's face seemed incapable of showing it but his eyes were always readable, especially to Taiki.

"What happened?" He pressed and Taiki suddenly looked away.

"I'm sorry," he said weakly. "This is embarrassing."

Gyousou watched him rub his face furiously, trying desperately to rid himself of his tears. He chuckled kindly. "There is no shame in crying."

"I'm a crybaby, even now," Taiki replied bitterly. "Just like I was when I was little. I'm pathetic."

"You're not.

"It was just a nightmare but I can't stop shaking or crying. I think that's pathetic."

Gyousou shook his head with a soft sigh. "You're too hard on yourself. That hasn't changed either."

Taiki hung his head and his master rested a hand on his head lightly. "You're still having them, then? The same nightmares?"

Taiki nodded miserably. Even now, after so much time had passed since his rescue in Hourai, the memories haunted him. Death of those around him, the managed bodies of his parents covered in blood, crimson footprints of animals he felt he should recognize but was only frightened of instead, the feel of his horn being torn from his body… all of it haunted him. When he closed his eyes he saw nothing but death and blood. He gave a violent shudder and a wave of nausea over took him.

Noticing him turn a few shades paler Gyousou moved his hand down to touch Taiki's cheek. He felt warm, like a fever. "I thought the physician had cured you of them."

Taiki chuckled wearily. "I don't think nightmares can be cured so easily."

Gyousou was silent for a moment and his hand slipped away. "Forgive me. When you needed me the most I wasn't there. I could not protect you."

"L-Lord Gyousou…" Taiki looked up in alarm, embarrassed suddenly. "Please don't say that. It's… It was no one's fault, what happened."

For some reason Taiki felt like crying again. Absently he reached out and touched Gyousou's hand, causing the king to glance up at him. The kirin forced a faint smile even though the tears had not completely gone away.

"We shouldn't lament on the past. We need to think about Tai's future. If we keep worrying about what happened then we can never move forward and the kingdom will suffer."

_I should take my own advice,_ Taiki thought sadly. Wanting his king to move forward when he was still incapable of doing so seemed hypocritical. Or maybe the kirin just wanted his king to be strong where he could not. They were, after all, two halves of one whole. If one was weak the other had to make up for that weakness. That's how it worked, right? _But what good am I? Lord Gyousou is so strong all the time and I'm not. I couldn't possibly make up for any weakness he might have._ These insecure thoughts, so familiar from his youth still plagued him. It frustrated him. He shouldn't be feeling like this now. After all, things were looking so much better now. Gyousou was back on the throne, the traitors had been dealt with for the most part, and Risai seemed to smile more.

_Then why am I not happy?_

Somehow it seemed that no matter what Taiki could never feel completely happy. It was crippling and everything he did was a struggle to cope with it. He couldn't stand it yet he didn't know how to make it go away. And on top of it all he was lonely. Sanshi and Gouran, gone forever because of his foolishness. Even the dreams he had of them, when he was happy and playing through the fields of Mt. Hou with Sanshi, had become cruel nightmares of times he would never have again.

"Kouri, you're crying again."

Taiki started and quickly lifted a hand to his cheek. Indeed he was and he buried his face in his palms in shame, sniffling pitifully.

"I-I'm sorry, Lord Gyousou."

"Please stop apologizing."

His mater's voice was gentle and Taiki felt soothed by it. At the same time it made him cry harder. _Why?_ He felt strong arms embrace him and Taiki hid his face in the fabric of Gyousou's robe. Despite it all Taiki couldn't help but feel a sense of delight when he was held. This open affection was something for him and no one else. Gyousou was never like this in front of ministers. Only when they were alone did this rare side of the king show itself. Taiki continued to cry and felt a hand brush against his face. He looked up, vision blurred from his tears. Gyousou leaned down and, quite literally, kissed his tears away.

Taiki blushed and felt his heart beat wildly. This, more so than the embrace, had been unexpected. When the king was done he pulled away to stare into Taiki's dazed face. He smiled.

"It will be all right. I promise."

With those words spoken by his master Taiki felt his sorrow slowly melt away. For the first time in a long time he saw a small light of hope.

"Lord Gyousou? Will you stay with me?"

"If that is what you wish."

The light in the room flickered, signaling that it would soon be going out. _That's okay,_ Taiki thought absently. _The darkness isn't so scary anymore._


	9. chance :: youko & ?

Youko rubbed her gloved hands together, attempted to get some kind of feeling back into them. It was always so bitterly cold nowadays and even wrapped up in a thick coat, scarf and gloves sometimes didn't keep it out. Youko shifted on her feet as she waited for the train, constantly rubbing her hands and trying to keep feeling in her legs. And as she stood she caught sight of a white flake floating down in front of her. Looking up, Youko watched as the snow began to spill down from the gray clouds. It made her smile slightly, though she was not looking forward to another cold Japan winter.

Eventually the train arrived and Youko picked up her school bag once she saw the lights. The train screeched to halt at the station and Youko stepped back instinctively to let the flood of passengers rush off the train. Then she quickly made her way through the sliding doors, pushing her way past the other passengers to the window. Reaching up, she grabbed one of the hanging handles and stared out the big window. The train began to move, picking up speed as he sped out of the station and down the tracks. In front of her she watched the scenery of her town go by, the snow growing heavier the further the train went.

Youko focused on her reflection in the window suddenly. She could see herself as if facing a mirror. Her school uniform was wrinkled, as she hadn't had time to iron it properly. Her school bag dangled from her hand, swaying with the movement of the train. And her hair… Her horrible red hair braided back neatly with loose strands sticking to her neck. She hardly noticed the stares she got for her hair anymore. She was very use to those now. Still seeing herself made Youko cringe. Why oh why could she not look normal? And why did she long for it yet hesitate in dying her hair like her mother and father insisted? She wanted to make them happy. She didn't want to displease her parents.

Before long the train had stopped again and Youko shoved her way off and onto the platform. It was snowing even more here and the white stuff was already covering everything it touched. She listened to the shouts of the conductor and the squeaking of shoes across the paved station floor as she stood there looking into the sky. Then someone ran into her, nearly toppling her off balance. She staggered and turned instinctively, but the man ignored her in his rush to catch the train. Youko sighed, her breath forming a cloud of white. She turned and walked, heading slowly up the stairs. Reaching the sidewalk at long last, Youko began to make her trek home.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice the shouting until she had almost walked right into the middle of the group. She stopped abruptly.

"Are you going to tell us?" A tall boy was shouting. "Well?!"

"It was you, wasn't it? I know it was!"

There were two of them of an indeterminable age. The two boys were yelling at another, who had his head bowed and remained quiet. The two continued their shouting and, disturbed, Youko quickly made her way across the street to avoid the commotion. She would've hurried on past but for some reason she stopped. Now across the street she couldn't tell what the two boys were saying, but they were definitely still shouting. Then the taller of the two struck the other boy, knocking him onto the snow-covered sidewalk. The boy put up no protest and the other two quickly ran away. There was a long pause before the boy picked himself up from the sidewalk, dusted the snow off and staggered away.

Youko watched with a pang of pity, but moved quickly on her way. It wasn't her problem, after all. She didn't need to get involved. When she finally returned home she got to work on her homework. Later that night, however, she was sent out to buy things for dinner. Despite the snow and the cold (and the unfinished school work) Youko went anyway without protest. Bundling up once more, she set out for the nearest convenient store. Half way there she noticed someone standing underneath a streetlight, leaning over the rail and looking out across the sea. She would've walked right past him had she not recognized the boy from earlier.

"Hey…" She said quietly without thinking. "Are you okay?"

The boy seemed startled and straightened, turning around to face her. He was still in his school uniform and his bag lay discarded at his feet. His face was so strangely emotionless that Youko felt a bit frightened.

"Why?"

Not expecting that question, Youko had no answer. The boy picked up his school bag and silently left without another word. Youko watched him go, perturbed, and quickly went on her own way.

It had been a strange encounter, brief and unimportant. Soon Youko and the boy would forget all about each other and continue on with their lives. Yet as Youko would soon find herself swept from Japan to a new and frightening world, Takasato would remain.


	10. snowfall :: taiki

"This is… unusual. This weather."

"The snow? Is it not often snowy in Kei?"

"No…"

"Buck up, Keikirella. A little snow never hurt anyone."

The reply earned Enki an exasperated sigh. The smallest kirin grinned cheekily and Taiki hid a small laugh behind a delicate hand. It had been a while since he had been brought back. How long exactly, Taiki didn't know. He had stopped counting the days the moment he left Hourai behind. He didn't want to know how long he had searched for his king. He didn't want to watch the days go by while he unturned every frozen stone in Tai in what felt like a fruitless search. Watching the seasons turn had been enough. So he had simply stopped keeping track. But that had all been a very long time ago. Or maybe not, but it felt to Taiki like all of it had been a waking dream. Now was the reality, the continuation from his fleeting happiness upon Mt. Hou.

Dressed in the warmest robes and a thick scarf, Taiki was walking through the wilted gardens in between the taller Kei Taiho and the shorter En Taiho. Taiki hadn't been back in Kei since his rescue. He hadn't even really seen Enki or Keiki since then either. Since then his hair had grown much longer, down past his shoulders. It still seemed too short compared to the others, but the wonderful thing about hair is that it would keep growing.

"It is unusual though," Enki was saying when Taiki returned to the conversation. "En doesn't get much snow either. Just a lot of rain during the rainy season. En is further up so for Kei to get snow and not En is weird."

"The weather is strange lately," Keiki mused quietly. "Like it's changing."

Enki shrugged. "Could be. I doubt the weather has been the same throughout the centuries."

Suddenly Taiki laughed, causing the two others to look at him. "I'm sorry," He apologized quickly, still looking amused. "I just find it… really silly that we're here talking about the weather."

Enki paused and then laughed too. Keiki, however, didn't seem to understand why it was humorous. The group walked on in silence for a while and snow began to fall from the gray sky. Taiki glanced up into the falling flakes. He was so use to snow. That's all it ever seemed to do in Tai.

The trio made their way at last inside and Enki let out a dramatic sigh at the warmth of being indoors. At that moment Youko rounded the corner, wearing robes that managed to be casual, fancy and warm all at the same time. Yet they were still considerably less fancy than the ones she had been wearing earlier and Keiki sighed when he noticed it.

Enki lifted his hand in greeting. "Yo! You look worried."

Youko shook her head. "I'm not. Well, I'm actually looking for your king. He disappeared. I think it's because the King of Han arrived."

"Most likely. Where do the girls in this palace hang out?"

Youko looked confused. "Why?"

"That's probably where he's hiding."

Taiki couldn't tell if the kirin was annoyed or not. He mostly seemed exasperated. Youko looked thoughtful and then laughed. "Everyone's busy working. He won't find anyone. You have no idea how high strung the staff is right now to have En, Tai and Han here at once."

"I'll bet!"

Youko then turned her gaze at Taiki, smiling fondly. Taiki returned the smile shyly. He never knew quite how to act around Youko. The selfless deed she had done for him was always present in his mind. She had risked a lot for the sake of someone she didn't know and knowing he'd never be able to properly pay her back was sometimes troubling.

"It's nice to see you again. It's been awhile."

Taiki nodded. "Yes, thank you…"

Youko hesitated for a moment and then asked quietly, "How is the King of Tai?"

There was a moment of silence and Taiki could feel Enki and Keiki glance at him worriedly. He smiled, albeit weakly. "He's better. After all, Tai is getting better now…"

The state of Gyousou when he had been located had not been a good one, both physically and mentally. He had needed a lot of time to recover, which was unfortunately not time they could afford with Tai the way it was. Yet with Risai's help, slowly word had spread of his recovery and the request for help to rise against Asen was sent out. Small strikes here and there saw the recovery of territory that had not yet been ravished by Asen's armies. By the time everything had been pulled together for a full out attack, Gyousou had finally been well enough to fight for his throne. But there were still problems, of course. There were problems with Tai and still with Gyousou and always with Asen and his supporters, all who had yet to be caught. But they were together again, Taiki always told himself. That's what mattered.

"I'm glad. I'm even more glad I've lived long enough to see the day when Tai starts to recover," Youko said with a kind smile.

Taiki bowed slightly at her. "Thank you, Queen Kei… ah… I mean, Youko."

Youko smiled more and then blinked. "Oh! Right, I need to find the Ever-King…"

"I'll get 'em," Enki said. "It'd be easier for me to locate him anyway."

A moment later he dashed off, disappearing around the corner. The three left chatted about many things, most of which Taiki didn't pay attention to. Keiki and Youko began to bicker and so the black kirin slipped back out the door without being noticed. The air was cold but it lacked that numbing bite to it that the air of Tai had. He stood in the snow, staring up at it falling and thinking of nothing in particular. Everything was just so peaceful. There was nothing to truly worry about, no sense of dread or loss. He had come a long way and had a long way to go. He liked it that way.

He walked from the door across the gardens again, pausing at a small and naked tree. Glancing up at the tightly closed buds, he noticed that at the end of one of the branches a flower was still there, attempting to display its bright pink petals in defiance of the cold. He was distracted by the door opening and turned.

"Don't give me that look, you brought it on yourself. I'm outta here." With a sigh that formed a white cloud in the cold, Enki stepped outside and shut the door behind him.

He joined Taiki near the tree. "Ironically the King of Han found him first. Serves him right."

Taiki laughed. He found it almost embarrassingly entertaining to watch Shouryuu and Enki bicker. They reminded him a lot of an old married couple that use to leave down the street from his family's house, but he wasn't sure Enki would appreciate that comparison. He turned his gaze back to the flower and Enki followed, tilting his head curiously at the tree.

"It feels so strange to be back in Kei after everything that's happened. Everything is different now."

"Different? I guess it is. The kingdoms are more at peace lately than they have been in a long time. Ryuu and Tai are the only ones in real turmoil now, but I bet in less than one hundred years they'll be back on their feet for good."

Taiki reached up and tried to grab the branch, but his fingertips barely grazed it. It was too high up.

"That too. But I meant for me. It's different."

Standing on his toes, Taiki managed to snag the branch and bend it lightly. The snow fell off in a shower of white powder, dusting his black robes with specks of white. Yet the flower was now free from the snow that had mostly hidden it. It stood out, glaring pink against all the white and gray.

"It's… like this saying that I heard in Hourai once. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. That's how it feels. It feels like this is the first I've seen the snow." He chuckled, "Pretty silly, right?"

Enki looked thoughtful for a moment. Then he smiled fondly. "Sounds good to me, kid."

Taiki smiled.


End file.
